A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to holders for accessories used in bathroom shower enclosures. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved shower caddy of the type used to hold various items typically used during showering, the improved caddy being reversible to facilitate its attachment to a shower head in one configuration, or to a shower enclosure panel or door, in a reversed configuration.
B. Description of Background Art
In addition to bar soap or liquid soap and wash cloths customarily used by people in bathroom showers, a variety of other articles related to personal hygiene are frequently used when showering. Such articles include containers of shampoo and hair conditioner, lotions, shavers, shaving cream, combs, brushes, and the like. While some shower enclosures are provided with one or more small shelves or ledges on which such personal hygiene items may be placed, many shower enclosure are devoid of any convenient location of adequate size for storing such items. Moreover, the shelves or ledges provided in typical shower enclosures tend to be relatively small, thereby affording insufficient space for storing articles without the likelihood of the articles being accidentally dislodged and falling to the floor of the shower enclosure.
In recognition of the need for providing primary or additional storage space for articles of personal hygiene used in showers, a wide variety of holders or xe2x80x9cshower caddiesxe2x80x9d for storing such accessory articles have been disclosed and marketed. One type of shower caddy currently available is so constructed as to be readily attached to a shower head, by hanging the caddy on the inner pipe portion of the head, for example. Another type of shower caddy presently in use is provided with a hook which permits the caddy to be hung on the outer enclosure panel or door of a shower enclosure. However, the present inventor is unaware of any existing shower caddy which may be readily re-configured to enable the caddy to be attached to either a shower head or enclosure panel. The unavailability of any existing shower caddy with such a dual attachment capability was a motivating factor for the present invention.
An object of the present invention is to provide a shower caddy for storing various articles related to personal hygiene which are typically used by a person when showering, the shower caddy being reversibly attachable to a shower arm or shower enclosure panel.
Another object of the invention is to provide a reversible shower caddy including a frame provided with a transversely disposed upper bracket member adapted to attachment to a shower head, and a pair of curved engagement members which protrude outwardly from opposite sides of the upper end of the frame, the engagement members having lower portions which angle downwardly and rearwardly towards respective vertical side frame members to form therebetween openings enabling the frame to be reversed and hung on a shower enclosure panel.
Another object of the invention is to provide a shower caddy provided with a pair of laterally spaced apart, elongated vertical frame members or stanchions, a bracket member disposed laterally between the stanchions near the upper ends thereof and adapted to attachment to a shower head, a pair of laterally opposed, parallel hooks which protrude outwardly or forward from upper ends of the stanchions, each hook having a lower portion angled downwardly and rearwardly towards a front surface of stanchion, defining therebetween a pair of openings adapted to insertably receive the upper horizontal edge of a shower enclosure panel, and thereby enabling the frame to be reversed and hung on the upper horizontal edge of the enclosure panel, and a plurality of vertically spaced apart removable shelves for storing shower articles disposed between the stanchions, the shelves being attachable to the front of the frame, when the caddy is hung from a shower head, and to the rear of the frame, for hanging the caddy on a shower enclosure panel.
Another object of the invention is to provide a reversible shower caddy including a pair of elongated vertically disposed, laterally spaced apart stanchion rods having perpendicular outwardly or forwardly protruding upper arms, a transverse bracket or hanger rod removably attachable to upper ends of the stanchion rods, the hanger rod having a vertical upwardly arched portion adapted to fit downwardly over a shower head pipe, a pair of hooks each having an upper straight portion releasably and adjustably attachable to the outwardly protruding upper arms of the stanchion rods, each hook having a downwardly depending intermediate; portion and a downwardly and rearwardly angled lower portion terminating at the lower end thereof by an outwardly or forwardly curved hook portion, the hook having an inner or rearwardly directed, arcuately curved convex portion spaced forward from a stanchion member at an adjustable distance to thereby form an opening for receiving the upper edge portion of a shower enclosure panel, and a plurality of shelves removably attachable near opposite lateral sides thereof on the stanchion rods at adjustable heights, to the front of the frame when hanging the caddy on a shower head, and to the rear of the frame when hanging the caddy on a shower enclosure panel.
Various other objects and advantages of the present invention, and its most novel features, will become apparent to those skilled in the art by perusing the accompanying specification, drawings and claims.
It is to be understood that although the invention disclosed herein is fully capable of achieving the objects and providing the advantages described, the characteristics of the invention described herein are merely illustrative of the preferred embodiments. Accordingly, I do not intend that the scope of my exclusive rights and privileges in the invention be limited to details of the embodiments described. I do intend that equivalents, adaptations and modifications of the invention reasonably inferable from the description contained herein be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Briefly stated, the present invention comprehends an improved, reversible shower caddy for conveniently holding items typically used in a bathroom shower, e.g., wash cloths, shavers, combs, brushes, soap, and containers for shampoos, conditioners and other such preparations.
A reversible shower caddy according to the present invention includes a pair of elongated, straight, vertical side frame members, or stanchions, each having a short upper end arm that protrudes perpendicularly outwardly or forward from a long, straight, lower portion of a stanchion. In a preferred embodiment, each side frame member is fabricated from a straight steel rod, a short upper end portion of which is bent perpendicularly outwardly from the axis of the rod.
The shower caddy according to the present invention also includes a generally straight, upper transverse bracket member which is disposed transversely between the stanchions, near the upper, outwardly angled ends thereof. The transverse bracket member includes means for attaching it to a shower head protruding from a shower wall. In a preferred embodiment, the attachment means comprises an upwardly arched central portion formed in the bracket member, the arch forming an upwardly concave opening adapted to fit over a shower pipe and thereby suspend the caddy frame.
The reversible shower caddy according to the present invention also includes at least a first and preferably a plurality of shelves removably attachable at adjustable heights alternatively to the front and rear sides of the frame stanchions, the shelves comprising lower transverse members which form with the stanchions and upper transverse frame member a rigid, four-bar frame structure.
To enable the reversible shower caddy according to the present invention to be alternatively attached to a shower enclosure panel or door, as well as to a shower head, the caddy includes a pair of hooks attached to the upper arms protruding from the frame stanchions. Each hook includes an upper, straight inner tubular portion having a bore into which a stanchion arm is telescopically receivable, and fastenable at an adjustable distance from the stanchion by a thumb screw. Each hook has an intermediate portion which protrudes perpendicularly downwards from the upper straight portion, a lower straight portion which angles downwardly and rearwardly towards the frame stanchion, and a hook-shaped end portion that has a convex rear surface spaced forward from a frame stanchion, forming therebetween an opening for receiving the upper edge of shower enclosure panel or door.
With this construction, shelves may be removed from the front side of the frame stanchions and attached to the rear sides thereof to thereby protrude from the rear side of the stanchion, rather than the front side from which the upper stanchion arms protrude, when it is desired to hang the caddy on a shower enclosure panel rather than a shower head. The caddy may then be positioned adjacent to a shower enclosure panel with the hooks facing rearward and the openings between the hooks and the stanchions positioned above the upper edge wall of the enclosure panel, whereupon the caddy is moved downwardly to allow the panel to be received upwardly into the hook opening, until the upper horizontal end portions of hooks rest on the upper edge wall of the panel, thus hanging the caddy on the panel.